Press actuating mechanism



Decpl, 1936. H. D. FORSEv PRESS AGTUATING MECHANISM l wr Filed Jan. 16, 1935 v INVENTOR .HARRY DONALD FoRsE @J/g@ ATTO Ew Patented Dec. 1, 1936 UITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to pressing machines of the type used in laundry and garment work and to improvements in control mechanism therefor.

The present invention provides in a pressing machine a pair of cooperating pressing members each of which is movable toward and from the other, one of the members being movable to coacting position adjacent the other by mechanism which is locked against movement in the reverse direction, following which the second member is moved into pressing engagement with the first, thus permitting the release of the moving means for the first member. The press then remains locked until the pressure is relieved between the coacting members at which time means is operable to open the press.

The above described structure is particularly applicable to a press in which one of the mem- 0 bers, preferably the bed member, includes an expansible uid-tight cover member adapted when expanded to move the pressing surface of the bed toward the coacting head. My improved press provides such a press in which the head is moved to coacting position adjacent the iniiatable bed by mechanism which is locked against a force tending to move the head toward open position and thereafter the bed is automatically niiated to cause pressure engagement between the pressing members.

My invention also provides novel mechanism for automatically producing movement of the pressing surface of the bed when the head is moved to its coacting position adjacent the bed.

Other objects and advantages of my invention include a power actuated means for releasing the bed member moving means, suitable arrangements of control valves and other features which will become apparent from an inspection of the drawing and the accompanying specification.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is an end elevation, partly in section, showing a pressing machine embodying my invention with the control mechanism shown diagrammatically; while Fig. 2 is a view of part of the control mechanism of Fig. 1 showing the same in various operated positions.

In the illustrated embodiment of my invention, on a frame I0 is mounted a relatively fixed bed member Il and upon a bracket I2 of the frame is pivotally mounted at I3 a head lever I4 carrying a head member I5 adapted to coact with the pressing bed. Mechanism is provided for moving the head to coacting position adjacent the bed which is adapted to be locked in that position against a force tending to move the head in the reverse direction toward open position. The mechanism illustrated comprises a 5 link I6 pivotally connected at its upper end I'I to the head lever intermediate the ends of the latter. The link I6 at its lower end lI8 is pivotally connected to a crank arm I9 pivotally mounted at 20 on the frame. The arrangement 10 of the parts is such that during the closing movement of the head the lower end of the link I 6 oscillates to a point below the pivot 20 and to a position in which the link I6 has passed beyond the center of pivot 20 so that pressure 15 between the pressing members tending to raise the head member I5 will pull against link I9 in its locked position. The crank arm I9 has an odset portion 2i to which is connected a spring 22 which in turn has its upper end mounted 20 on a bracket 23 on the frame so that spring 22 is always effective to cause clockwise rotation of the crank arm I9 as viewed in Fig. 1 and is thus always in position to open the press when the arm I9 is free to move. .25

Preferably I provide power means for moving the head to its coacting position adjacent the bed and in the present instance I have provided a cylinder and piston motor 24 comprising a cylinder 25 mounted upon a trunnion 26 and 30 provided with a piston 2l whose piston rod 28 is pivotally connected at 29 to the crank arm I9. Motive fluid is supplied to motor 24 through a combined inlet and exhaust conduit 30 communicating with cylinder 25 and with valve cas- 35 ings 3| and 32. Casing 3i is provided with a normally closed inlet valve Sla having a stem 3 Ib adapted to be actuated by manual 3 Ic. Casing 3l communicates with a supply of motive uid 33 and also communicates by conduit or 40 passageway 3d with casing 32. In the latter casing is a normally open exhaust Valve 32m having a stem 32h which is actuated by a manual 32e. In the drawing I have shown the press actuating valves mounted in a combined 45 valve casing but it will be understood that these may be separate casings as described.

After the head is moved to its coacting position adjacent the bed, the latter is moved into nal pressure engagement with the head and this 5o pressure against the head acts to hold link I6 in its locked position against the bias of spring 22. Certain features of my invention are applicable to that type of press in which the entire 55 bed member is raised into pressure engagement with the head. However, in the present embodiment I have shown a type of bed member in which the pressing surface is adapted to be raised slightly by means of an expansible substantially fluid-tight cover member which is mounted upon the bed casting II by fluid-tight joints 36 so as to provide a substantially fluidtight chamber between cover member 35 and the bed I I. The control of motive fluid supply to and from the cover member is by way of a combined inlet and exhaust conduit 37 communicating with valve casing 38 in which is located a normally closed inlet valve 39 and a normally open exhaust valve 4G. For supplying motive fluid to casing 38 I provide a conduit 4I communicating with the supply 33 through a pressure reducing valve 42. It is necessary to reduce the pressure to the cover member in this type of press because ordinarily the pressure required in motor 24 is greater than that necessary or desirable to inflate the cover member 35.

Means is provided for automatically raising the pressing surface of the bed upon movement of the head into its coacting position. This means comprises a valve actuator 43 pivotally mounted at 44 and biased by a spring 45 in position to exhaust fluid from the cover member 35. This actuator is connected by a collapsible strut 45 with a bellcrank 4'! pivotally mounted at 48 and provided with a follower 49 which is adapted to be engaged by one of the head moving parts, in the present instance link I6, when the head reaches coacting position adjacent the bed. In the present embodiment strut 46 is a toggle having two links pivotally conneced at the toggle knuckle 50 and provided with a spring 5I which biases the toggle to its straightened position so that the strut is normally in position to transmit a thrust.

Power means is provided for reversing the position of the control valves of the bed moving means. I n the present instance this comprises a small servo motor 52 mounted on the frame and having a piston 53 whose piston rod 54 is connected by a link 55 with the toggle knuckle 59. A small vent 56 at the fluid inlet end of servo motor 52 insures the return of the piston 53 after making a power stroke. The supply of motive fluid to the servo motor is by way of conduits 51 and 58 which communicate with valve casing 59 in which is a normally closed inlet valve 59a having a stem 59h and an operating manual 590. The supply of fluid to casing 59 is by way of passageway 6|).

With the parts in the full line position of Fig. 1, the operation of the press is as follows:

The operator completes the lay of the work upon the bed II and more particularly upon the upper surface oi the cover member 35 or the superimposed padding thereon if such be provided. The operator then actuates manuals 3Ic and 32C, the latter closing the exhaust valve and the former admitting motive uid to motor 24 which makes a power stroke, thus moving the parts to the dot-dash position of Fig. 1. As the head moving parts reach this latter position, link I6 moves bellcrank 41 in a counterclockwise direction to the full line position of Fig. 2. The strut 46 at this time moves actuator 43 in a counterclockwise direction against the bias of spring 45 thus closing exhaust valve 40 and opening inlet valve 39 to admit low pressure huid beneath the cover member 35 and to expand the pressing surface of the bed in an upward direction into final pressure engagement with the coacting head member. This holds the link I6 in its beyond-dead-center position. The operator may then release manuals 3io and 32e and the press will remain closed. To open the press, manual 59e is actuated which provides motive fluid for servo motor 52 causing it to make a power stroke which colapses strut 46 to the position shown in broken lines in Fig. 2. This permits actuator 43 to move in a clockwise direction under the iniluence of spring 45 which returns the valves 39 and 40 to the position of Fig.` 1, thus lowering the pressing surface `of the bed, whereupon spring 22 is effective to move crank arm I9 in a clockwise direction thus opening the press.

Two presses constructed exactly like the press described may be easily connected in tandem by mechanism about to be described. An additional valve casing 6I is provided having a normally closed inlet valve Sla whose valve stem SIb is operable by a manual 6Ic. This casing is provided with motive fluid through passageway 62. Leading from the casing 6I is a conduit 63 which communicates with a servo motor on the other press, which I shall designate as press B, this servo motor being the exact counterpart of motor 52 and connected to similar mechanism. Conduit 58 of the press shown will be connected to a tandem valve at press B-which is the exact counterpart of the valve in casing 6I. Itis thus obvious that by actuation of manual 6Ic the operator may send motive fluid to press B to actuate the servo motor 52 of that press so as to release that press from a remote station at any time desired.

While I have illustrated coacting pressing members of a type peculiarly adapted to pressing of mens shirts, it will be understood that my'invention may be utilized with many other types of pressing members.

What I claim is:

1. In a pressing machine, a pair of coacting pressing members each of which is movable toward and from the other, means for moving one of `said members to coacting position adjacent the other member and for holding it there, said means including motion transmitting mechanism, fluid actuated means for moving the other of said members into nal pressure engagement with the coacting member, conduit means communicating with a uid supply and with said fluid actuated means, inlet and outlet valves in sai-dconduit means and biased toward fluid exhaust position, an actuator-for moving said valves to fluid supply position, means for moving said actuator by movement of said mechanism to place said first-named pressing member in coacting position and including a collapsible strut, means normally maintaining said strut in extended position, means for collapsing said strut to move said actuator and valves to fluid exhaust position, and means for returning said rst-named pressing member to open position when said uid actuated means is released.

2. In a pressing machine, a frame, a lever pivotally mounted at one end on the frame and carrying at its other end a pressing head, acoacting pressing bed mounted on the frame and having an expansible substantially uid-tight cover member adapted when expanded to move the pressing surface of said bed member toward the coacting head member, means for moving said head from open position to coacting position 375 adjacent said bed comprising a link pivotally connected at its upper end to said lever intermediate its ends and pivotally connected at its lower end to a crank arm, said crank arm having a. pivotal mounting on the frame, the parts being so arranged that when said head is in coacting position the lower end of said link lies below said crank arm pivot and said link has passed beyond said crank arm pivot, means for moving the parts to the last-named position, means actuated by movement of said parts to said last-named position for expanding said cover member, press-opening mechanism for returning the head to open position, said last-named means comprising conduit means communicating with a fluid supply and with said cover member, valve means in said conduit means including a normally closed inlet valve and a normally open exhaust valve, an actuator for moving said valve means to operated position with said inlet valve open and said eX- haust valve closed for supply of fluid to said cover member, means for' moving said actuator to operate said valves by movement of the press parts to place said head in coacting position and including a collapsible strut, said strut being normally eX- tended and means for collapsing said strut to move said actuator to return said valves to normal position while said head moves toward open position.

3. In a pressing machine, a pair of coacting pressing members, power actuating means therefor, a control member for sai-d power means having on and off positions and normally biased toward one of said positions, means for moving said control member into the other of its two positions, said means including a collapsible strut, means normally maintaining said strut in extended position, and means for collapsing said strut, whereby sai-d control member may return to said one position under influence of its bias.

HARRY DONALD FORSE. 

